my-dict.sh - A small CLI English dictionary.

pepeapepepe · 2011-07-26 23:31:45

Rationale
This script aims to help improve the user's english vocabulary and undestarting.

Dependencies: grep(GNU), curl, bash

Git
https://github.com/argent0/smallTools/b … my-dict.sh

Code

#!/bin/bash
# Basic dictionary
#
# Features:
# * Severe input coercion.
# * Cache system.
# * Case insensitive.
# * Colorized output
# * Try not to store useless data

if (( $# != 1 ))
then
echo "Please consider providing a word(one) to search."
exit 1
fi

if grep -qe '[^[:alpha:]]' <<< "$1" #severe input coercion
then
echo "Please express your word using letters only."
exit 1
fi

# only reach here if the input is a word

if [[ -v XDG_CACHE_HOME ]]
then
cache_dir="$XDG_CACHE_HOME/my-dict"
else
cache_dir="$HOME/.my-dict" #you asked for it
fi

mkdir --parents "$cache_dir" #no errors

word=$(tr "A-Z" "a-z" <<< "$1") #case insensitive

data_base_entry="$cache_dir/$word"

if [[ ! -a $data_base_entry ]] #if database entry doesn't exist
then #be carefull
#create the file first in case we fail at curl
if ! touch $data_base_entry
then
echo "Can't touch file: \"$data_base_entry\"."
exit 1
fi
if ! curl "dict://dict.org/d:$word:*" >> "$data_base_entry"
then # curl failed
rm "$data_base_entry" #no errors, because it should exist by now
echo "Failed to retrieve definition from dict.org."
exit 1
fi
#what if we didn't find anything?
if grep -q "552 no match" "$data_base_entry" # Try not to store useless data
then
rm "$data_base_entry" #no errors, because it should exist by now
echo "No match found. \"$word\""
exit 1
fi
fi

#anyway
# Riviera's trick ( presented by dualbus )
grep -i --color -e "$word" -e "^" "$data_base_entry"

Cheers

Shinryuu · 2011-07-30 16:08:40

Thanks for making this! It seems to work really well and I already made an alias for it to use it easier. I'm pretty sure this comes really useful in many cases (at least for me) because sometimes I might have some naughty difficulties in some situations.

Sara · 2011-08-17 02:48:00

This dictionary is wonderful. The convenience of a commandline tool without having to (manually) search a website. Also, I love how this also pulls up synonyms, which has me discovering even more interesting words. Many thanks.

Arch Linux

#1 2011-07-26 23:31:45

my-dict.sh - A small CLI English dictionary.

#2 2011-07-30 16:08:40

Re: my-dict.sh - A small CLI English dictionary.

#3 2011-08-17 02:48:00

Re: my-dict.sh - A small CLI English dictionary.

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